


The Great Healer

by ttfan111robstar1



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Agni is a great Dad, Agni is awesome, Awkward Ciel Phantomhive, Big Brother! Ciel, Ciel Phantomhive is Accepting, Consensual Nursing, Crying, Cuddling & Snuggling, Demon Sebastian Michaelis, Diapers, Don't Judge Me, Don't Like Don't Read, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Empathetic!Ciel, Feels, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Identity Issues, Loss of Motor Skills, Male Lactation, Non-Sexual Age Play, Nursing, Paradox, Platonic Cuddling, Playing with toys, Sebastian is wise, Secret Relationship, Soma is Smol, Soma is precious, Thumb-sucking, Tiny!Soma, Tissue Warning, Towels are needed to wipe up your tears, check the tags - Freeform, cute as hell, dramatic reveals, recovering from illness, skin to skin contact
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:08:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24821359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ttfan111robstar1/pseuds/ttfan111robstar1
Summary: Prince Soma and his butler Agni have been keeping a very big secret from Ciel Phantomhive and his butler. When the Earl comes to stay at his townhouse, their poker faces will be put to the test. There's an old saying that the truth will come out in the end no matter what, but when this truth comes to light will it be enough to drive away the only friend Prince Soma has ever known he truly had?
Relationships: Agni & Sebastian Michaelis, Agni & Soma Asman Kadar, Sebastian Michaelis & Ciel Phantomhive, Soma Asman Kadar & Ciel Phantomhive
Comments: 3
Kudos: 28





	The Great Healer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PrinceOfHell00](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrinceOfHell00/gifts), [Tori](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tori/gifts).



> Hello my darling beautiful readers~!
> 
> Just a quick note to y'all before we take off on our story today (It's long and dramatic so buckle up, buttercups!). 
> 
> I've wanted to write a story with a specific focus on Induced Lactation and bonding for some time. I touched on the subject a little bit in my Little Boy Light series for Death Note, but it didn't have the same pull that this story did on my heart.
> 
> The subject of induced lactation is one that I love, because I've been on this journey to try and induce lactation so that I can donate my milk to babies in need. The fact that it's between two guys was *definitely* not something I had anticipated taking on, but this story made it impossible not to. If a nursing relationship between two dudes freaks you out, read no further. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this fic. I poured four days of my blood sweat and tears into making this beauty for you all. I hope you guys can appreciate the heart behind it, and that you enjoy it.
> 
> For your reference (Since It isn't in the fic):
> 
> Priye = The hindi translation of the phrase "My Little Love".  
> Chotu = Hindi term of endearment meaning "Little one", "Child", Or "Baby".
> 
> I also put the underage tag just in case. I mean, this is nonsexual age play but I know there are probably gonna be people who think the nursing is a sex thing and I just want to shut that train down before it even leaves the station.
> 
> Thank you to Sam for your invaluable writer's block advice, to Tori for your excellent reviews, and to Sophie for being the most supportive domestic partner ever and reading my shit, even when I know the nursing isn't your thing. Love y'all to pieces <3 You guys are my family. This one is for you.
> 
> Enjoy, my readers!

_”My body, my life, became the landscape of my son’s life. I am no longer merely a thing living in the world; I am a world.” -Sarah Manguso_

As Agni opened his eyes that morning, he saw the beginning of the sun rising over the horizon streaming through his window. For a moment, just that, he was back home in India, watching the sun rise over the Ganges River as he had as a small child. Then, in the next instant, reality sank into his consciousness. It took him a moment to remember where he was, but then it clicked. The Phantomhive Townhouse in England. Far away from his homeland.

He sat up in his bed, and wiped the sleep from his eyes. It had been an exhausting evening the night before. His prince had been extremely ill with some kind of stomach sickness, and had spent the evening sobbing as he heaved up every bit of food and fluid in his stomach. It had been excruciating for Agni to watch him suffer like that, but he knew there also wasn’t much to be done about it, if what the doctor they’d seen yesterday was correct. The most they could do was ride out the storm, and wait for it to pass. He just had to be certain his prince was getting fluids.  
  
He looked next to him, and found his Prince fast asleep, a thumb tucked safely in his mouth, and looking peaceful despite the fact that he was sweating a fever out of himself. Agni smiled fondly at him, despite the fact that the fever worried him. As he carefully maneuvered himself off of the bed to get a damp wash cloth for his little one, thought about how England had changed them both.  
  
He could vividly recall the night of the curry exhibition- the very eve they arrived in this townhouse. He’d finished cleaning up after making them both dinner, listening to the jangling music of pots and pans clanging together that seemed to soothe his soul. When everything was spotless, he’d gone to check on his prince. It had taken a while to find him- maneuvering around a house of this size did have that effect on a person- before he’d found his prince in the room that was now his, sitting in the windowsill, with a thumb in his mouth as he stared out the fogged glass.  
  
“Your highness?” Agni had asked, sensing something wrong.  
  
Prince Soma had turned to him, for a second not quite making the connection, before he’d removed his thumb from his mouth with a wet pop. “Agni. Forgive me, you startled me.”  
  
“My apologies, My prince. It has been an eventful day. I wondered how you might be feeling about it all. I was worried for you.” He said, bowing.

Prince Soma smiled. “How strange it is to hear those words and know that they are true.” The smile was tinged with a bit of bitterness. “My parents have never said that to me that I can recall, and though Mina did, I know now that she was not truthful. But you have never lied about how you cared for me. You have done more for me than my own parents and Mina ever have.”  
  
Agni was a bit stunned to hear that. “Master Soma?”  
  
“All of my life, my parents never had time for me, and I always harbored a fear that I was unloveable because they did not try to make that time. But after what you did today, I know better now. What you did to try and protect me, that is the kind of love I had hoped for from my parents. And I wish… I wish you were my father. Because I doubt I would ever question myself again if I had felt that kind of love early in my life.”

Agni felt tears coming down his cheeks, and wiped them away, before going to his prince.  
  
“It is not too late, my prince.” He said. “Love comes when it chooses. It does not have a time limit.”  
  
“Perhaps. But time is a bandit in a way, is it not? Stealing moments from us that we might never get back. And still yet it always moves forward, and never backward. I would give all I own for a chance to start my life over knowing that I would be loved, and that you would be there. Because I know you would never leave.”

Agni set a hand on his shoulder. “I never will, even now, my prince. Though time does not bend for any man, perhaps moments can be reclaimed in other ways. Childhood is not a transitory state. It is simply the state where you are cared for. That can happen at any time, not only in your early years.”  
  
“But what if that is exactly what I want?” He wondered aloud. “What if I wished to rewrite my past in a way that makes everything that happened before irrelevant, in the way I did for you? Just for the chance to be somebody that I do not know. Somebody… better?”  
  
Agni looked at him. “If that is what you want, My Prince, then I will give it to you however I am able.”  
  
Soma turned to look at him. “You would take care of me?” His eyes shimmered like prisms.  
  
“For as long as you wished me to.” Agni promised.  
  
Soma’s lip quavered, before he wrapped his arms around Agni in a hug, and cried.  
  
That was the start of a journey that had yet to end. That day, Agni had taken on the most important title he would ever hold, the title of Bāpa- or in English, Papa- To his little prince.  
  
It had been a full year since that day, and he could have never guessed how far they would have come in such a short time. His little prince had grown more little with the passing months, To the point where he rarely tried to be big anymore, and even so, some of his habits tended to stick with him.  
  
As he looked back at his prince, he saw he was cuddling his beloved blanket “boppy”, and his favored stuffed elephant. He smiled fondly, before walking to his little one and putting the cool cloth to his forehead. Though Agni wanted to take the thumb from his mouth and replace it with a pacifier, he ultimately decided against it, lest he wake his babe up, and Goodness knew he needed all the sleep he could get today. After being sick all night, he needed it. Not to mention the fact that Lord Phantomhive was scheduled to come by today, and he knew his prince would not want to miss it.  
  
For the moment though, he decided to cut his losses and meditate as he did every morning in the room, in case his little one needed him. As he prayed to Kali, he hoped for a good day and that his little one would be able to pull through the day. Not twenty minutes into his meditation, he heard whimpering, and knew that his babe was awake.  
  
He got up, and went over to him. “Good Morning, Priye.” He crooned softly.  
  
“Bāpa.” He whimpered. “Dirty.”  
  
“Do you want Bāpa to change you here or in the nursery?”  
  
Soma let out a noncommittal hum.  
  
“Chotu, you must decide."  
  
“Nurs’y.” He said, quietly.  
  
“Alright. Bāpa will carry you.” He said, and carefully lifted his little one into his arms.  
  
Soma let out a noise of displeasure at the movement, but quickly settled into his Bāpa’s arms as Agni carried him next door to the nursery.  
  
The room was the only one they ever kept locked. The two of them had keys to the door, but no one else did. The room was intended to be a place of privacy, comfort, and relaxation. Prying eyes were not needed in their safe haven. Agni had put his heart and soul into making this nursery himself, and couldn’t have been more pleased with it. He’d carved the crib, made the changing table, and painted the mobile all himself, along with a toy box too, and even a high chair. The only thing he did not make and actually bought was a rocking chair that had already been in the room.  
  
Coming into the room always fostered a sense of peace. He did not repaint the walls, because the townhouse still belonged to Lord Phantomhive, but he _did_ get creative in covering them. He’d bought brightly colored fabrics to hang on the walls in lieu of repainting them. Orange, purple, yellow, and red came together, beginning on the walls and eventually meeting at the ceiling in a quartet of colors that seemed to allow the chandelier to come out from them like a giant crystal rain drop. The wooden crib was stained white and varnished to shine as the sun glowed on it. A mobile of a dog, cat, bird, and fish hung overhead, moving on it’s own when it so desired, or when Agni pushed it. The changing table had been painted Orange against the wall of that color so that it blended in well. Likewise, the toy box was a bright red that lie against the red wall. The crib was the only thing that specifically stood out, aside from the oak rocking chair in one corner, intricately carved and crafted so that it did not seem to belong in such a simple room, and yet fit all the same. At the center of the room was a large but sumptuous area rug in bright colors, where his little prince could play as much as he desired. Finally, next to the rocker was a bookshelf loaded with children’s books the two of them had collected over their year together.

Agni let out a content sigh as he laid down his babe on the changing table, beginning to undress him. A heavily soiled cloth diaper awaited him, and he made a mental note to make sure his little one got plenty of fluids today, if nothing else. He was hopeful he could try and convince his little one to have some soup, but he also knew his little one was guaranteed to be fussy, and with the added stress of Lord Phantomhive’s visit coming up, he had to be smart about picking his battles.  
  
When his little one was changed, he grabbed a purple pacifier from the changing table and slid it into his mouth, effectively replacing his thumb, and with little fuss. However, not two seconds later, it came out as his Chotu asked a question.  
  
“Bāpa Na-Na’s?” He asked, curiously.  
  
“Of course, little one. Do you want them in the rocking chair or on Bāpa’s bed?”  
  
“‘ed?” He said, as though it were a question.  
  
“Bed it is.” He nodded, and carefully carried him there.  
  
Normally, this was done in the rocking chair. His babe preferred the soothing rocking of the rocking chair lulling him with it’s security. Today, however, that was simply too risky, and Agni understood that. After getting sick so much it was only natural to try and avoid it happening again. Though it would feel strange to do this here, it was far better than the alternative of not doing it at all.  
  
His babe was already stripped down to his diaper, So now it was his turn. Carefully, Agni unbuttoned his Sherwani and set it aside for the moment before he made his little one comfortable in his lap. Then, with both of them having skin to skin contact, Soma latched onto his breast, and began to suckle.  
  
Though their journey would largely be considered unorthodox by western society, Agni had begun a nursing journey with his little prince. It was a road paved with difficulty, undoubtedly, but he had persevered. His mother had used to wet nurse on the side, and through her educating others, he had known how to induce lactation in himself. It was not easy, and in fact was one of the most difficult things he had ever attempted to do, but the reward was so worth it. Through a combination of herbal supplements, massaging, stimulation, and his little prince dry-nursing from him, he had been able to produce milk to feed his little one.  
  
At first, it had been very confusing for the both of them. Though Prince Soma had expressed interest in the act, societal norms still weighed heavily upon the both of them. Mothers were the ones to nurse their children. That was just how the world was made. But through his journey he began to understand something- Fathers were nature’s back up plan. Slowly, as the began the process of inducing lactation, of working to try and feed his little boy, he understood clearly that it did not matter what the world thought of them. What mattered was how it made the both of them feel. From the first dry nurse, to the first milk, and on until today, they had both felt an incredible sense of connection to one another through it. At the end of the day, society’s words could only go so far in tearing them down. Instead, they had found something far more important.  
  
Agni looked down into the sweet face of his little one as he nursed from him, eyes half closed and still sleepy, yet clearly staring at him, vibrantly expressing his love for the elder man through the warmth in his eyes. His prince reached a hand up to pat his cheek in an affectionate gesture, before his hand moved to play with Bāpa’s braid, like a cat batting at a ball of yarn. Velvet skin pressed up against him, softer than any fabric there could be, and Agni treasured the feeling as much as his prince did. Skin to skin contact was a favorite of both of theirs when nursing, because it was such a show of love and vulnerability. Though some might have considered it sexual, it was the furthest thing from. It was about creating a connection, and that was one of the pieces of their connection.  
  
Skin to skin contact, back rubs, face touching, playing with Bāpa’s braid, lullabies, and kisses were what their connection was made of. All of it was amplified by the steady motion of the rocking chair when they sat in it. But even now, without it, their sense of connection remained. As Soma played with his Bāpa’s braid, Agni rubbed his back and pressed a loving kiss to his forehead. His little prince let out a happy coo, still latched on, and wiggled a bit in his lap in happiness. Then, as was their way, Agni began to sing to him. Music was another way to bridge the connection between them, and this one made it far stronger than average. All the lullabies Agni sang his little one during their nursing always had the most special meaning’s behind them. That was never lost on Soma, even when he was the smallest he could be in mentality. Now, as Agni sang, His little one’s eyes fluttered open and closed in cycles as he struggled to stay awake.  
  
As Agni had anticipated, his little one fell asleep before their nursing was even through. With that being said, Agni was now faced with the always-difficult decision of whether to let his little one sleep using him as a pacifier, or whether to try and get an actual pacifier in his mouth. Today the choice was at least somewhat simplified. His babe was sick. His milk gave his little one antibodies to fight off whatever was ailing him. It would be better to let him stay latched on, and to get more of those nutrients. Kali knew he needed them.  
  
As his little prince slept, he closed his eyes and finished with his morning meditation. The great thing about meditating while having skin to skin contact between him and his little one was that it always made their heartbeats sync together, so he could focus on the sound as if it were a beating drum. An hour had passed quickly, and he was able to finish his meditation to still have time for prayer.  
  
Immediately after his prayer, a whine from his babe caught his attention. Immediately, Agni began rubbing his back, and he watched as his little one’s eyes opened.  
  
“Hello, little one.” He said gently.  
  
“Bāpa, ouchie.” He said, pointing to his head.  
  
“Your head hurts?” He kept his voice soft, not wanting to aggravate it.  
  
Soma let out a whimper and nodded.  
  
“Do you want Bāpa to try and make it better?”  
  
“Uh huh.” He nodded. “Need kisses.”  
  
Agni chuckled silently. “Kisses it is, then.” He said, and gave his little one’s temple a kiss before he massaged both of them with his fingers to try and alleviate the pain.  
  
When his little one relaxed in his arms, he knew his efforts were working. After a while, he stopped, because his babe was practically falling off his lap with how relaxed he was. He gave his little one a nuzzle. “Better?”

Soma let out a pleased noise, and nodded, snuggling in closer to his Bāpa.  
  
“Do you think you can try and eat for Bāpa, little one?” He asked, gently.  
  
Soma let out a whine at that, feeling his stomach churn a bit at the mention. “Don’ wanna, Bāpa. Don’ wanna get icky sicky all over ‘gain."  
  
“I can’t promise you won’t, Priye, but I don’t want you to be hungry, either. If Bāpa made you soup would you try eating for him?”  
  
His little prince peered up at him through long lashes. “Bāpa make my fav’ite?” He asked, cautiously.  
  
Agni gave a reassuring smile. “Mhm. Ginger carrot and turmeric soup, just for you, Chotu.”  
  
Soma appeared to give it some thought, before he nodded. “‘Kay Bāpa. Soup. Buh jus’ a lil. P’omise?”  
  
“I promise, little one.”

Soma seemed satisfied with that, and Agni finally allowed himself to breathe a little bit in relief.  
  
“How about we get dressed for the day and Bāpa makes your soup, little one?”  
  
“Mmmm!” He gave a small happy nod.  
  
Agni smiled, putting his Sherwani back on. “Alright then, little one. We’re getting you dressed in your big boy clothes today, because Ciel is coming over, remember?”  
  
“C’el?” He asked, as if he’d forgotten.  
  
“That’s right, little prince. He’s coming to stay for a few nights.”  
  
Soma looked a bit perturbed at that. “Hafta be big all’a time?” He asked.  
  
“Not all.” He promised. “When Sebastian and Ciel go to bed we will have special time together.”  
  
“Buh… Wha abou’ Num-Num Na-Na’s?”  
  
Agni chided himself for not taking some time to think up an appropriate response to that one. Of course his little Prince would want to nurse after lunch and dinner. It was how they always did things. Quickly though, he thought of an answer.  
  
“We will have them and say you’re doing your studies. How about that?”  
  
Soma brightened immediately, and nodded. “Yeah, Bāpa.”  
  
“Then come along. Let’s get you dressed.” He smiled.  
  
Bāpa helped him dress in one of the Sherwani’s he used to wear all the time, and a pair of Churidar’s. His Sherwani and Churidar’s covered his diaper perfectly, so at least he didn’t have to worry about that. After that, Agni had him play near the kitchen while he made his little one’s soup so that he could keep a watchful eye on him.

As he was making the Ginger carrot turmeric soup, his sleeve accidentally brushed against a measuring cup that had some coconut milk in it, and sent it splattering to the ground. Sighing deeply, he moved to get and clean it.  
  
Putting the cup on the counter, he got a towel and began to wipe it up with a towel. Soma, having heard the clatter, toddled over to make sure his Bāpa was okay.  
  
“Bāpa, okay?” He asked, holding his Boppy.  
  
“Yes, little one, I’m fine. I just spilled a little milk is all.”  
  
Soma gasped. Before Agni could ask what the matter was, his little prince put a hand to his chest, patting it softly.  
  
“Bāpa, ish your milk okay? Did you spill it _all_?!"  
  
Agni was surprised momentarily, before he felt a smile hint at his face at how endearing that was.

“I promise, Priye, it was not my milk that spilled. It was some coconut milk. My milk is just fine.” He assured.  
  
Still, his little prince did not appear to be convinced. So, he gave each breast a kiss over his Bāpa’s Churidar.  
  
“Feel better.” He said, and patted them.

Feeling warmth in his heart, he stood and gave his little one a kiss on the forehead. “Thank you, Priye. That was very kind of you.”  
  
His little one patted his chest one more time, smiling, before he went off to play, leaving Agni endeared by the sight, despite the mess he still had to clean.  
  
Soma went back to playing, and Agni finished cleaning up the spilled milk, before he went back to making the soup. It took a while, which he’d wanted it to for his little prince’s sake, before it was ready. He pureed the soup, and put a little of it in a bowl for his babe.  
  
Mercifully, his little one did not put up a fuss at the sight of the food. Instead, he ate several spoonfuls until he could not eat anymore without being scared he’d get sick and turned his head away. Agni praised him for eating as much as he had, despite that it was in reality very little. Still, it was far better than nothing. So, he let his little one play nearby for a bit longer while he enjoyed the soup for breakfast. Though it wasn’t a traditional breakfast, it was still good.

After breakfast, he had his little one play in the nursery as he cleaned the townhouse. All remnants of his little one had to be relegated to that room. It was unfortunate, in his eyes, boxing up all the things his little prince loved, and yet it was necessary for keeping their activities hidden from Lord Phantomhive and Sebastian. It was a radical thing they did, in the eyes of society, at least. To lose their friendships with Ciel and Sebastian was something neither of them wanted to happen. A few days of acting how they were expected to by polite society were a small price to pay for keeping such wonderful friends.  
  
When it grew close to noon, Agni began preparing for lunch, and Soma tried to prepare to be big. It had been a long time since he’d had to be big at all, and even then, it had only been for a few hours that time. This would be a few days. Sure, he was going to be offered some small breaks, but he wasn’t entirely sure he could pull it off. He’d never been big for so long for at least six months. Not since Bāpa had suggested they do this full time when it had become apparent that he struggled with tasks outside of his headspace.  
  
However, He was afraid of Losing Ciel’s friendship over this side of himself. The English Nobleman was so _serious_ about _everything_. He knew Ciel couldn’t understand something like this- something purely enjoyment driven. He’d had parents who loved him, even though they had passed on. His own parents were alive, but with the amount of attention they paid him, it was almost as if they were too. He wondered, perhaps selfishly, if his own situation was worse, because even though his parents were alive they wanted nothing to do him. Ciel’s parents were unfairly taken from him, and yet he’d known what it had felt like to be loved by them. That was more than he had ever had.

It was like scaling a mountain, trying to fit himself into his big headspace. For every step forward he made, His headspace attempted to try and pull him back down the higher he climbed. It was right at the edge of his consciousness the entire time, and he knew it. Yet still he managed to make himself as big as he could for the time being, though his headspace still threatened to come out at the back of his mind.  
  
When the front door opened, he felt his heart skip a beat, and then went to greet Ciel.  
  
The young nobleman and his butler were in the foyer, Sebastian setting his Young Lord’s hat and coat on a coatrack.  
  
“The traffic in London is always bloody awful.” Ciel commented with a sigh.  
  
“Perhaps, but it does give a bit more time to relax as you wait for the traffic to clear, My Lord.” Sebastian Said, taking off his own overcoat.  
  
“Relaxing…” He scoffed. “How can you ever relax with all the noise? Carriages, horses going by, people talking all the time? You never get any quiet.”  
  
“Quite so, Young Master.” Sebastian replied.  
  
“Ciel!"  
  
Both heads turned to see Prince Soma Asman Kadar coming toward them hurriedly, smiling joyfully.  
  
Before the young Lord knew what was happening he was being pressed against the Indian teen’s chest in a hug.  
  
“I am so happy to see you, my friend! We have much to catch up on.” He enthused.  
  
Just as Ciel was about to bark at him to get off, Agni came sweeping in.  
  
“Lord Phantomhive, Sebastian. Welcome home.” He said with a smile.  
  
His return gave way to Soma letting go of Ciel then, and moving to stand with his Bāpa out of instinct. He almost went to hug him, but then remembered what was going on, and forcibly held back from doing so.  
  
Ciel took in a breath. “Prince Soma. Agni.”  
  
“I have lunch prepared for you in the dining hall. Please, make yourselves comfortable and come eat. It has been a long journey for you both, I am certain.” Agni said, smiling softly.  
  
“Very well.” Ciel said. “Sebastian, unload the carriage. I’m going to eat something.”  
  
Sebastian gave a slight bow. “Yes, my young Lord.”  
  
As Sebastian went to unload the carriage, Ciel went to the dining room, where lunch was served. English foods for himself and Agni, and some odd orange concoction for Prince Soma. There was Roasted goose, potatoes, some broccoli, and carrots for himself. When his curiosity got the better of him, he asked about what Prince Soma was eating.  
  
It was Agni who answered, which was mildly surprising. “I am afraid my Prince took ill a few days ago. He is eating a ginger, carrot, and turmeric soup instead so it will not be too heavy on his stomach.”  
  
Well, that at least explained why the Indian Prince seemed to be shaking a bit as he tried to eat the soup. He was getting drips on his clothing, which was unseemly. However, if his body had yet to recoup its losses, it was excusable. Little did Ciel know, that was not the reason for his lack of hand eye coordination.

Agni, however, knew better. It was clear that his prince’s lack of coordination was in fact due to his small headspace being so close to the surface. He hoped nursing after lunch would help with that. He made note of how much his little prince ate- not much, but it was better than nothing- before he assisted Sebastian in clearing the table when their masters were finished. Afterward, Agni came back in.  
  
“Please, excuse us, Lord Phantomhive. It is time for my Prince’s Lessons.” He said, bowing respectfully.  
  
“Certainly. Sebastian and I have business to attend to ourselves.” Ciel said, sharing a glance with his butler. Sebastian, in turn, nodded.  
  
Soma, in the meanwhile, went to his Bāpa as they walked down the hall to his private quarters.

When the door was shut and locked, Agni immediately began removing his Sherwani and sat on the bed as his little prince practically leapt into his lap and latched onto him immediately, suckling with an urgency that bordered on panic.

The let down (and subsequent rush of oxytocin from it) as his milk began to flow hit Agni hard and fast. It took a moment for him to regain his bearings as the almost drunken feeling of happiness clouded his senses, but when he came to he noticed his babe was snuffling and crying. It clicked for him, then, how hard this was for his little prince. Wordlessly, he leaned down to kiss his forehead and nuzzled him gently, rubbing his back with one hand. It wasn’t until he heard a door in the house shut that he began to talk.  
  
“It’s alright, Priye. It’s going to be okay. You’re doing such a good job. I am so proud of you. Bāpa is here. Bāpa is right here for you."  
  
The words seemed to do the trick, as his little one relaxed against him. Agni could feel the tension leave his little prince’s body. The frantic suckling decreased, and Agni felt some of his own tension leave with that. He hadn’t realized how on edge he’d been until that moment. Feeling as though he’d had to hide a part of himself and his prince away had left him feeling anxious and on edge, as though there was an attack coming, waiting out of sight that he simply couldn’t see yet.  
  
But there was no attack. They were with friends. They were perfectly safe. And yet, he felt as though he was being attacked. It took him a moment to realize why. The fact that he was recriminating himself for keeping his newfound paternity a secret from his friends, when he wanted to shout it from the rooftops, and worse yet that his little prince had been suffering, and he hadn’t seen it as he should have.  
  
He tried to push those thoughts away. This was not the time for that. This was their peaceful time. He should treat it as such. So, in response to the thought, and to his little prince, he began humming softly to his little one, as he rubbed his back and stroked his plumb colored hair.

Soma switched sides after a bit, and it gave Agni time to think about how they would fill the supposed rest of the time of their “lessons”. It was a tricky endeavor. He did want to give his little prince some time to be in his headspace, but also did not want to derail the hard work his little one had done becoming big. However, when he looked down after a while, noting the sucking had slowed, he’d found it mattered not. His little one had fallen asleep at the breast, completely exhausted from his small bout of being big. He decided not to move him for the time being. Clearly his little one needed the sleep.  
  
It wasn’t until he heard a door open again that he gently woke his babe, whispering that it was “time to wake up, master Soma” in order to help him get the hint.  
  
His little one looked up at him, sleepy and confused, but seemed to understand when footsteps sounded in the hall. Agni quickly buttoned his Sherwani and Soma moved off of his lap, going toward a desk in the room and pretending to busy himself with a book on it, just in case. Mercifully, the footsteps passed by their door, and they both breathed a sigh of relief.

He helped his boy change into an unstained Sherwani and then they went out into the hall, feeling much better than they had before.

Ciel was in the drawing room, appearing to be reviewing some papers for the company. He looked up upon seeing Soma and Agni.  
  
“Prince Soma. Agni.” He greeted.  
  
“Lord Phantomhive.” Agni said.  
  
“C’el.” He said, and it took a moment before he realized his slip of the tongue. He cleared his throat. “Forgive me, Ciel. My lessons were quite boring today and I fell asleep a few times. I’m not quite awake yet."  
  
“Understandable. My lessons often bore me as well, though I often don’t get to sleep much through them with Sebastian watching every single thing I do like a rat in some maze.” He said, glaring up a bit at his butler.  
  
“I am simply doing what a good tutor should, My Lord. In order to become the head of the Phantomhive Estate you simply cannot shirk off your lessons.”  
  
“I do not shirk anything.” Ciel glowered.  
  
“Ah. My apologies, young master.” Sebastian said with a slight teasing smile as he bowed to him.  
  
Ciel, unamused, simply rolled his eyes at his butler’s antics.

“Would you care to play a game?” Soma asked. “Unless, of course, you are working?”  
  
“As Luck would have it, I just finished my papers for work.” He said, scrawling his signature on a form. “What game do you propose?”  
  
“Perhaps cards?”  
  
“Fair enough.” He conceded. “Sebastian, fetch us a deck of cards.”  
  
“Yes, my lord.”

Sebastian fetched them a deck of cards, and they began to play. There were a few times when Soma nearly cheered when he thought he was winning, but he had to stave off the urge. By the time they’d finished two rounds, though, Soma realized he needed a change.  
  
“Please, excuse me, Ciel. Agni and I must take care of something.” He said.

“Very well. Sebastian and I will be out for the next few hours. We’ll see you at dinner then.”  
  
“I look forward to it.” Soma smiled, before he went to Agni.  
  
When they were out of Ciel and Sebastian’s sight, Agni took his little one’s hand and guided him toward his regular room, where he’d stashed extra diapers and changing supplies a few days prior.  
  
Soma slipped his thumb into his mouth as the change began, beginning to suck gently on the digit as it happened. He always did that during his changes. Usually Bāpa would put in a pacifier in place of his thumb, but since they weren’t in the nursery, that wasn’t possible today. Still, he didn’t mind. He liked his thumb. It was always right there when he needed it. He liked that about it.

When his change was done, He and Bāpa did what they always did after it was done. Bāpa leaned down and touched his nose to his in a loving gesture that always made Soma giggle. Soma would always reach up and pat Bāpa’s cheek, and then when Bāpa got up, he’d pull him in for a snuggle, as they liked it.

They stayed like that for a long while. Agni knew how much his little one needed the contact, and he needed it just as much. They had both been putting on a facade the entire day, and now, they could let it fall, assured that no one was watching. His little prince was curled into his side, content now. Agni simply stroked his hair, and let himself bask in the moment.

After a while, his precious prince stirred. “Bāpa?”  
  
“Yes, little one?”  
  
“Am I doin’ good a’ bein’ big?”  
  
Agni smiled. “Very good. Brilliant.” He assured, and gave his little one a kiss on the forehead, earning a giggle from him.  
  
They spent much of the time in the room reading stories, Soma giggling to every one, until Bāpa announced he needed to make dinner. Though his little prince was disappointed, he was more pleased with the cuddle time than anything else, and felt reassured at having the extended contact. He stayed in his room a bit longer, snuggling with his Boppy before he tucked it under his pillow before he decided to check in on Bāpa.  
  
Bāpa was in the kitchen, making something that smelled good, with Sebastian assisting. Time had seemed so infinite in his room with Bāpa, but he realized now that it must have been a while if Sebastian was back. Or perhaps the Butler had come back on his own. Either way, he didn’t want to be around the scary butler too long, even with Bāpa there, and quickly made a hasty retreat.  
  
He could have checked to see if Ciel was back too, but instead chose to go to the library and look at books until dinner. He picked one that would have been associated with his studies, and began looking at it, appearing to read it, even flipping a page every so often, but really he just wanted to be left alone for a bit, to try and recompose himself. It was hard being big for so long. Even though he knew it was necessary, it was overwhelming. He just wanted to have a bit to himself to try and just be still.  
  
How long he sat there, he wasn’t sure. But the next thing he knew, Bāpa was in the doorway calling for dinner, and he realized his thumb was in his mouth. Had it been anyone else, his façade might have been blown. He popped it out, thanked him, and went to dinner, praying he might be able to keep it together the rest of the night.

At dinner, Prince Soma decided he was ready to eat a real meal that did not consist of soup. He joined in the English feast set before him. Agni even snuck him a curry bun. A little taste of home that was heaven sent after two days of vomiting and eating nothing but soup. By the time dinner was done, he was more full than he had been in a long time, and had managed to keep most of the food off of his Sherwani. He suspected Bāpa might have made him a curry bun because it gave less of a chance for him to get it all over himself. Yet again, Bāpa was right. Then again, Bāpa usually was about these things.  
  
Now, it was after dinner, in the drawing room. He and Ciel were seated next to one another on a chaise near one wall of the room, end tables near it holding cups of tea. Agni and Sebastian stood nearby, ready to serve their Masters at any moment.  
  
“I don’t suppose you have any plans for tomorrow?” Ciel asked, taking a sip of earl grey.  
  
“Not that I know of.” Soma replied.  
  
“I was wondering if you might show me around the Indian quarter near the east end. If I run into trouble there, it would be prudent to have someone with authority over them there with me.” He said.  
  
Soma paused from sipping his Darjeeling. “You would like to spend the day together?” He said, setting the cup on it’s saucer.  
  
“It would be a working day trip for myself, but yes, I suppose so.”  
  
Grinning eagerly, Soma began to bounce just a bit as he cheered, “I would like that very much!”  
  
However, the bouncing upset the delicate balance of the cup, sending hot tea spilling onto the Earl’s lap.

Ciel let out a yelp and instinctively got up as the tea spilled to the floor, causing Soma to drop his cup and saucer in the commotion. Agni, however, was quick to stop it before it hit the floor too and set it on the table. Ciel looked to Soma, seeing red as the scalding burns that were sure to appear on his thighs.  
  
“Watch it! That’s hot!” He barked angrily.  
  
For a second after, time seemed to pause. But in that pause, something happened.  
  
A small _snip!_ Occurred in Prince Soma’s mind. The thread that was holding him to his big headspace was cut with the sharp words of the young earl, and sent him tumbling into his little headspace, and also caused him to fall forward as his muscles gave out under the weight of the small headspace that now consumed him. Agni, quick as ever, reached his arms out before his prince could hit the floor, feeling panic overtake him at the sudden fall.  
  
“My Prince!” He said, concern consuming every bit of his being.  
  
In the next instant, despite not hitting the floor, Prince Soma let out a piercing wail.  
  
The sound caused a ceasing of movement in the room. The Earl, upset by the spill of tea, was stunned out of his anger at the sound and looked on in surprise at the sudden shriek. Sebastian, who had initially planned to begin cleaning the spill, was also rendered motionless at the howl. Agni, who was holding his prince, felt a moment of disconnect overtook him. It took a moment for him to register what had happened. Prince Soma had become overwhelmed, and it was now his little one in his arms, instead of his Master.  
  
There was a choice to be made now, and he knew that. But in that moment, it wasn’t even a choice at all. His little one was his first priority. He would be the father his precious little one needed and deserved, even if it cost him two dear friends. Putting his child above all else was what fatherhood was all about.  
  
Agni’s posture changed, became more commanding somehow, as he picked up the sobbing Prince and settled his little one’s head on his shoulder, hushing him as he rubbed his back.  
  
“Bāpa!” Came the sob.  
  
“Shhhh. It is alright little one. Bāpa is here. It is okay now. I promise.” He soothed, bouncing his little one just a bit to try and help calm him.  
  
Ciel, who had been still as a statue at the first screech, began to break free from his stone prison and cocked his head in confusion as his mind tried to understand what had just happened.  
  
“What the hell…”  
  
The words were his own, but he didn’t register them coming out of his mouth, until Sebastian sidled up to him and he realized he’d said it aloud if it drew the butler’s attention.  
  
Sebastian had been observant the entire day. Contrary to his master’s belief, he was quite skilled at reading humans. He’d detected something off with the Indian Prince from the moment he’d arrived. The lack of grace at the table, the occasional slips in speech. Agni had explained it away as the young man being ill before. While he didn’t doubt that the young prince had been sick, considering the soup he’d eaten at lunch rather than what his master had had, he’d suspected something more was occurring. He’d not detected any unusual behavior in Agni. However, the man was a skilled actor, considering how he’d pulled off seamlessly transitioning from being Soma Asman Kadar’s loyal butler to Harold West-Jeb’s puppet. He didn’t feel too bad about missing the signs in him because of that. However, seeing the way they were connected now clicked several clues into place.  
  
A faint crinkling that his ears detected when the young prince entered the room, the spilling of food, the slips in speech, and now the word Bāpa, which he knew meant “Papa”. It all wove together in the most simple of patterns. He’d called the Prince childish before. This, however, just proved it went to another level. It was almost a laughable irony.

Agni, who was still busy comforting his babe, had caught the comment, and looked to the Earl and offered an apologetic smile.  
  
“Please, allow me a moment to calm him down and I will be happy to explain.”  
  
It was all the apology he could offer in the moment, considering his little one was still sobbing harshly in his arms.  
  
Ciel, still somewhat shocked, managed a nod as he watched the bizarre sight.  
  
Agni maneuvered his boy in his arms so that he could snuggle his little one close to him, wiping his tears away with a thumb as he began to hum his little prince’s favorite lullaby, making sure that his little one’s head rested on his Chest so that he could listen to his heartbeat. His little one had told him so many times that Bāpa’s heartbeat was his favorite thing to fall asleep to. Hopefully it would be enough to calm him down now.

To his relief, his little one quickly calmed at the sound. The wails died down to cries, then dimmed further into occasional whines and whimpers. Agni couldn’t help sighing at that. However, the relief was short lived as he realized he had to make good on his word to Lord Phantomhive and Sebastian. And he knew it was going to be more than a little complicated to explain.  
  
He took a moment to center himself, looking down at his precious prince, who had slipped his thumb in his mouth and was gently suckling the digit. It gave him a bit of courage that he could handle this, because there was nothing he would not do for his little boy. Then, he turned to look up at their faces. Ciel still looked taken aback, but Sebastian’s face was as smooth as porcelain.

“Forgive me, that took a bit longer than I had anticipated.” He said. Ciel, as if being snapped out of a daydream, turned to look at him.  
  
“What just happened?”  
  
“Lord Phantomhive, do you recall the reason why My Prince and I came to England in the first place?"  
  
Ciel blinked, not expecting the question. “You were searching for a woman, were you not?”  
  
Agni nodded. “That is correct. The woman who had taken care of my prince since he was very young. As you might recall, that did not end well.”  
  
Ciel nodded, remembering the incident at the Curry Exposition all too well.  
  
“Your parents, before they passed, you knew they loved you, did you not?”  
  
Ciel felt his mouth go dry at the words, and was almost indignant enough at the mention of them to be infuriated, but curiosity outweighed him, and he nodded, holding his tongue.  
  
“My prince’s parents did not care about him the way yours did you. He was handed over to Mina’s care. However, as I know you recall, she did not care for him as he did for her. She was the only caregiver he had ever known, and she did not love him at all like he envisioned. It broke his heart. But he understood after the Curry exposition that I did. He expressed to me that he wished he could have a new start in his life, much like the start he gave me, because he knew I would always be there. He wished that I were his father rather than the Raja of Bengal, because he knew he would have known what love had felt like in all that time. Though I could not turn back the hands of time to change the past, I could give him a fresh start in my own way. And this was that way for us. Though it was not conventional, it is what worked. Since that day, my prince has become something more to me. He has become my son. Regressions like what you’ve just seen are involuntary, and very rare. Normally, they are his choice. But on occasion when the stress becomes too much, his body will take over for him, and that is what has happened here.” He explained. Then, he looked to Sebastian. “Being a good Khansama means going above and beyond the call of duty for your master. If I am able to give something to my master, then I will. No matter what he asks of me, if I am able to give it, then that is what I shall do. It is my duty as his Khansama. And now it is my duty as a parent.” He said. Then, he looked to Ciel. “My prince has tried to be whom you remembered him as because he did not want to lose your friendship over the matter. He is afraid that you will not accept this part of him because it is not conventional. I admittedly had the same fear. But it is out in the open now. Whatever happens from here, I leave in your hands.”

It took Ciel a moment to absorb the words. They had to sink in slowly, be devoured and processed in pieces, because there was so much to them. Once they struck in their entirety, he was able to form a response.  
  
“What you both do in the privacy of this townhouse is no business of mine. As long as it’s running, there is not much else that matters to me.” He said, finally.

Agni visibly relaxed at that, and Sebastian stepped forward. “Your willingness to do anything for your master is the mark of a good butler. The lengths you go to to do them is what shows that you care for him. There is no shame in going above and beyond the call of duty.”

Agni smiled, blinking back tears that threatened his eyes. “Thank you. For the both of us.” He said, and looked down as his little prince demanded his attention.  
  
“Bop Bop Bop.” He said.  
  
“Ahhhh, of course.” He said, nodding his understanding.  
  
“What?” Ciel asked.  
  
“Come and see, then.” Agni said, picking his little one up and carrying him. Perhaps out of curiosity, Ciel followed.

Agni went to Soma’s room, and looked under his pillow, grabbing a somewhat dingy light blue blanket from under it. Upon sighting it, Soma let out a squeal of delight and reached for it, opening and closing his hands repeatedly.  
  
“Here you are, Priye. Here’s Boppy.” Agni chuckled and gave it to him.  
  
Immediately Soma snatched up the beloved blanket, and rubbed it against his cheek, calming immediately and snuggling into his Bāpa’s chest.  
  
Though he outwardly remained indifferent, Ciel couldn’t help being impressed by how well Agni had understood what Soma wanted. Sebastian usually understood him in the same way, but the fact of Sebastian being a demon gave him an advantage in the situation. However, Agni and Soma were both human, and yet the bond between them seemed to be as strong as his with Sebastian. That alone was impressive, though he decidedly did not want it to be.

After a moment, Prince Soma spoke up again. “Bāpa, Na-Na’s?”

Agni felt his eyebrows shoot up at the question. It was not like it was a question that was _unexpected_ , but it was one he felt unprepared for in the current situation. Considering all of this was new to Ciel and Sebastian, and what they were doing was such an _intimate_ thing, not just emotionally but physically too considering all the physical contact it entailed, it was not a stretch to feel that they were perhaps not ready to even hear of that, let alone see it.

“What does he want?” Asked Ciel, unable to help his curiosity.  
  
There was another choice to be made here. To tell the truth, or a lie. A lie could easily gain their privacy, but he would feel wrong about doing so after they had been so accepting of him and his little one. The truth, on the other hand, might be too much to take. However, Lord Phantomhive and Sebastian had said what he and his master did was no business of theirs. Perhaps it would be okay. There was an old saying that said the truth would come out in the end, no matter what. He supposed it was about to be put to the ultimate test.

“He wishes to nurse.” He said, and steeled himself for the reactions.  
  
“He wants to what?” Ciel asked.  
  
Normally Sebastian might have had an answer for his lord, but admittedly he was not entirely versed in all things human. He knew what nurses did, but to nurse as an activity was something he’d not heard before.

“Nursing. It is another term for Breastfeeding.” He said.  
  
“What?” Ciel asked, hearing that, and feeling confusion engulf his mind.  
  
Agni couldn’t help looking to Sebastian in surprise looked to Sebastian. “I admit I am surprised. You have never heard the term nursing before? I did not know it was not common in England. Certainly, the Earl himself is still quite young, but yourself… I am surprised.”

The word gave Sebastian insight into what was happening, at least. “I admittedly have not.” He confessed. “England is... not very welcoming of displays like this in the public eye, and so I have never seen such a thing for myself.”

Agni nodded. “It is not common to see in public back home in India, either. However, I watched my mother be an occasional wet nurse to other children in my caste. That is how I learned of it.”

“Now that you mention it, I had wanted to ask about that but thought it rude. I thought only women could make milk for their children?”

Agni smiled, sitting down on the bed and adjusting his prince so that his legs lay across his lap. “At one time I thought the same. But in India I saw something through my mother. When she would wet nurse, she would occasionally have apprenticeships who were not mothers who wanted to do what she did. Mother would put them on a combination of herbs, make them massage and stimulate their breasts, have the babies dry-nurse from them after they were fed, and it would change their bodies so that they could make milk. I realized one day that perhaps my body was capable of the same. So when my prince asked about this, I tried my mother’s methods, and was not disappointed.” He said, beginning to remove his shirt so that his little prince could nurse. As Agni removed his shirt, his young charge immediately latched onto one of his nipples, beginning to suck on it.

“I see.” Sebastian said, trying to take all of that in, as his young master looked to be doing the same. “As long as the two of you are happy I suppose there is something to be said for that.”

Agni smiled and looked down at his little prince, who looked at him with a loving and trusting gaze as he nursed, reaching up to touch his face as he nursed. Agni smiled and gently held the hand to his cheek. “It is a bit funny in a way.” He said. “My prince changed my life once by saving it, but he changed it a second time when we began this part of our relationship. He had been regressing with me for a year before he asked about this. When I began taking the herbs my mother used to give her apprentices, I used to wonder how they felt about what they were doing. Wet nurses had children who were not their own drinking the milk made in their bodies. I used to wonder how that made them feel. But now I know. They felt needed, appreciated, and loved. Kali is the goddess of fertility in India, and she blessed me with being her right hand. And I was also blessed with being given my little prince as my master. Never did I think that Kali might help us start a new part of our relationship. But looking back now, I realize it must have been her hand in it. I have never felt so blessed as to be able to give my little prince something of my own body. I did not know then how much my taking care of him would be intertwined with nursing. My milk has soothed him within seconds of a scrape and calmed him after a nightmare. It is an entirely different kind of connection. I cannot begin to describe the love and joy I feel when I look into his face as he nurses from me. It may seem strange to those looking from the outside, but there is nothing more simple, really. Children ask for nourishment from the day they are born. That is all he is asking of me, and I am more than happy to provide it. People can say what they please about it, but it does not matter what they think. What matters is how we feel. My little one feels safe, comforted, and loved when he nurses from me, and that is what is important to me. It is an absolute joy to nurse my little prince. Nothing has ever been so precious to me as that.”

As Agni spoke, Ciel found himself watching in horrified fascination as the Indian prince put himself to his butler’s breast without a single moment of hesitation. He found he couldn’t tear his eyes away. Though his expression was smooth as porcelain, set in the face he always wore when he didn’t want anyone to know what he was thinking, he found himself thinking of Agni’s words to him before.

_My prince’s parents did not care about him the way yours did you. He was handed over to Mina’s care. However, as I know you recall, she did not care for him as he did for her. She was the only caregiver he had ever known, and she did not love him at all like he envisioned._

His parents had cared for him. Deeply. He’d never once doubted that- not before they were killed and certainly not after. It was the memory of their love that had spawned his revenge. But, he wondered, what must it have been like to have never known love before? Not from parents, or even from a nanny? What must it have been like to know love’s warm embrace? The memory of his parents’ love was all he had left, and yet it was more than Prince Soma had ever experienced until he had met Agni. He felt pity worm it’s way into his emotions. He didn’t like it, and yet it stayed. Though perhaps it was not pity at all. Perhaps it was pity’s sister, guilt, that had come to settle in his stomach. They were twins, in his experience, nearly identical, and yet just different enough to tell apart.  
  
It was guilt that toyed with him, now. Though his parents were gone, at least he could rest easy in the knowledge that they had loved him. Prince Soma did not have that luxury. And yet, as he watched the Indian prince as he nursed from his butler, he saw no sorrow in his golden eyes. There was a host of emotions, but love and trust were prevalent in them, as he reached up and patted Agni’s cheek. The sight was nearly enough to eradicate his guilt, and still yet, a trace of pity still haunted him, like a ghost that would not leave. To have gone so far for love was a regrettable thing.

As the sight was processed further by his mind, more thoughts came in. He supposed that this might have explained the intense connection the pair of them shared, no matter how odd it might have been. He watched as Prince Soma reached to rub Agni’s arm, and how Agni, as if on instinct, began rubbing the Prince’s back. This knowing what the other wanted and needed would have been fascinating even without the bizarre sight before him. Agni was rubbing his back, humming to him, and giving gentle touches as though it was a routine. Soma switched to the other side, practically melting into Agni as though he had no bones at all. Within moments, it was clear the young prince had fallen asleep.  
  
Smiling fondly at his little one, Agni looked to the clock. Seeing it was nine o’clock, his little one’s usual bedtime, he decided it might be time to call it a night. He looked to Sebastian and Lord Phantomhive. “I believe the both of us will be turning in for the evening. It is getting late and I doubt I will be moving anytime soon.” He said softly, not wanting to wake the sleeping angel in his lap.  
  
“I believe that is a splendid idea. I should tend to My Lord’s burns and clean up the spilled tea.” Sebastian said. Agni smiled gratefully at that.  
  
“I bid you both goodnight. And thank you, for your kindness to us both.” Agni smiled.  
  
“Certainly.” Sebastian whispered.  
  
“Goodnight, gentlemen.” Ciel said, before walking out of the room.  
  
As he and Sebastian walked down the hallway and into the drawing room, Sebastian spoke up. “Is there something troubling you, My Lord? You have been unusually quiet and it is not hard to understand why.”  
  
“I’m not troubled. Though preoccupied might be the word you’re searching for.”

“And what, pray tell, is preoccupying your thoughts?”  
  
“Tell me, Sebastian, is it possible to be irritated by and yet pity someone at the same time?”  
  
“Though it is a rare occurrence, I have had it happen, yes. Are you finding yourself pitying our poor prince?” He asked, a hint of sarcasm playing at his tone.  
  
Irritated as he might have been at the clear sarcasm, he was more perturbed than anything. “I cannot stop thinking of what Agni said. About how his parents didn’t care. I’ve often wondered if I might have been set down this same path if my own family cared less about me, or even if they’d cared more. I might have turned out like he did, had things been different.”  
  
“Yes, you have mentioned that before.” Sebastian acknowledged. “But is that what’s really troubling you?”  
  
“I suppose I’m just trying to make sense of the thought process behind it.” He said, sitting down on a settee nearby. “What it must feel like to be so desperate for love that you would degrade yourself to… that.”  
  
“Perspective is a very fickle thing.” Sebastian said. “It changes whenever it pleases, can stay stagnant for years at a time, and yet can never be truly known. Someone may be able to tell you their thoughts and yet you will never truly know what it was like for them when they thought them.”  
  
“What are you blathering on about?”  
  
“You cannot see from his perspective, my Lord. No matter how hard you try, the fact is that you have not had the same experiences he has had. To try and understand a decision he made that was clearly made with years of emotions behind it is an exercise in futility. Perhaps to him it was not degrading. Perhaps instead it was instead a step forward in his awareness of himself. You will never truly know, because you are not him.” Sebastian said, as he moved to try and get the tea stain removed from the couch.

Ciel looked at him. “You make a fair point. And yet still, it bothers me.”  
  
“Could it be perhaps that you are jealous?” Sebastian asked.  
  
“Jealous?!” Ciel nearly shrieked.  
  
“Certainly. Though it is unconventional, our young Prince did manage to, in his own way, right the wrongs he was dealt in his past. It would be only natural that you would want the same for yourself. Though certainly you would not go about things as he did, it is not beyond reason for you to want a chance to right your own wrongs.”  
  
“That’s what I have you for.” Ciel scoffed.  
  
Sebastian paused and looked at him. “I can only get you your revenge, my Lord. I cannot rewrite the past. No matter how much you might wish me to do so, that is the one thing I cannot do. I am no fool, Master. That has been your true wish of me since the day we met, but it was one I could not grant, so you chose the next best option.”

Ciel froze a moment, the salty truth of those words being rubbed into wounds of his that never truly closed, before he relaxed again. “The past can never be altered. It is only through looking to the future that we can get what we want. He can play pretend all he wants, but it will not change what has happened to him.”  
  
“Perhaps not, My Lord. But perhaps in doing… Whatever you’d call this, he has found his own way of closing the wounds his past has left open."  
  
“Wounds never truly close, Sebastian. There will always be scars there. Time can make it fade from red to white, but it is never truly gone. Nor will it ever be. The most any one of us can do is wear them as battle wounds, and show what we have survived.”

“Is trying to cover them foolish then?”  
  
“You can try to cover them all you like. That does not change the fact that they are still there."  
  
“Is that not what you are doing by enlisting me to get your revenge? In planning this revenge, you have been trying to cover your own anguish with anger, turn your grief into guile. What then, is the point of your revenge if it does not cover your wounds as you might have hoped it would?”  
  
“It’s never been about _my_ revenge, Sebastian. It has been about _their_ legacy. They did not deserve to die as they did, and if I do nothing else, I will ensure that the Phantomhive Legacy lives on, through their memories, when I am no longer able to do that for them, because you have taken my soul.”  
  
“And in doing so, their legacy, left in your hands, will die. Quite a double-edged sword you play with, My Lord.”  
  
“Swords are only good if you know how to use them.” Ciel stated, looking at him. “That’s why I’m using you, as my sword, my shield, and my pawn, until hell has been paid to whomever killed my family. Are you going to play your part, or must I terminate our contract?” He asked impatiently.  
  
Sebastian knelt down. “Never, my Young Master. I am by your side until the very bitter end."  
  
“Good. Now clean this up and help me prepare for bed.”  
  
“Yes, my Lord.”

As the Lord Phantomhive and Sebastian prepared for bed, Agni sat with his little prince in his lap. His little one was exhausted, and it wasn’t at all surprising. After having barely recovered from a bout of illness, exhausting himself trying to be big all day, and eventually breaking down when the pressure became too much, it was no wonder why his little one had fallen asleep so quickly. The comfort and security of Bāpa’s milk had finally allowed him to calm down enough to relax, crash from the adrenaline, and sleep.  
  
Though he could have chosen to take his little one to the nursery- there really was no point in trying to hide it now- He decided it would be best for his little one to sleep with him tonight, in case any nightmares tried to worm their way into his mind.  
  
Carefully lying down, he did not remove his little one from the breast. He did not see the point. He’d likely need a night feeding tonight anyway. Those were rare- reserved for when his babe was feeling particularly small- but he felt tonight was a safe bet for that happening. Cradling his little one close to him, he shut his eyes for the night, and fell asleep.

As he’d anticipated, the feeling of more vigorous and intentional sucking and of the initial let down of milk woke him in the middle of the night, tired eyes opening to an equally sleepy babe suckling at his breast. He gave a sleepy smile- the most he could do at that point, with his mind so fogged, but it seemed to be all his little one needed to be able to close his eyes in peace.

He often liked to keep his eyes open during these night feedings. Those rare, lovely occurrences were like finding gold in a tray of silver. In the peace of night, with the city noise dulled to quiet, and a hush having fallen over all of London, it was so easy to pretend as though they were the only two people in the world, with the privacy and security of night wrapping them in it’s black cashmere blanket, tucked safely away from the prying eyes of the rest of the world.  
  
Daylight would come, so soon, and bring with it the noise and hustle and bustle of the city. There would be tasks to accomplish and people to entertain and meals to be made. Night was the infinite stasis where time suspended itself, and simply did not exist at all. There was no past or future, just an infinite, black present that stretched on like a country road. Where stars were the only witnesses to anything that went on, and the moon lit the way for all who were alive under her gentle glow. This time was to be treasured. There was nothing so important as these small hours where anything felt possible.

Eventually, his little one went back to sleep, but the idea of tomorrow weighed heavily on his conscience. Tomorrow, his little prince might not wake up so little when he realized what happened tonight. Tomorrow, if he awoke as an adult, his babe would feel the heavy burden of shame over something he could not have controlled, and he would have to help him carry the load. Tomorrow would be the true test of Lord Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis’ acceptance of them.  
  
But tomorrow had not come yet. Instead, there was still tonight. A little borrowed time, before the trials and challenges of life came at them. In a day that had been hell, this was their small slice of heaven. Though heaven was not bright and full of light as he might have imagined it, it was full of comfort, for himself and his babe, and that was all he could ask for.  
  
Closing his eyes, he prayed to the Divine Mother that morning would come and treat them both with kindness. Then, with one last glance at his little one, he went back to sleep.

Time seemed to be a cruel mistress to the pair of them, going by as quickly as it did. In a flash, the black of night seemingly gave way to the red, orange, pink and purplish dawn of morning. At first light, as per usual, Agni opened his eyes, feeling the grit of sleep still in them, and wiped them away. Looking down, he saw his little one still fast asleep on his chest, and felt relieved at that. Time was a precious commodity these days. Time to himself was even more of a rarity. He did not believe in wasting it. Because today would be the test if time could heal the wound of what happened last night.

Agni laid there, unmoving, for some time. He shut his eyes in meditation and prayer, thinking about the Vedas and the Upanishads, and praying to his Goddess Kali for a day full of blessings and happiness for all who inhabited the townhouse. He said a few extra prayers for his little prince. He prayed that if Prince Soma woke up big, that he would have the grace and courage to speak about his experiences, and if he was still this little, that he could make two new friends. And he said an extra two for Ciel and Sebastian, that they would find it in their hearts to show the grace, understanding, and compassion that his little one so clearly needed from them after a day like yesterday.  
  
Somehow- and if you asked him, he wouldn’t know how- he made it through his morning meditation and prayer undisturbed. It was the first time in several days that he’d managed it. Silently, he mused to himself that perhaps it was Kali’s way of telling him that today was going to be a great day. A smile played at his lips at the comforting thought.

How much time had passed after that before his prince awoke was yet another mystery. There was a clock in the room- a grandfather clock that looked to be older than the newly-built townhouse itself- but it never chimed. He wasn’t entirely certain if it was built that way or if his Prince had found a way to make it shut off, but either way it remained silent. It was usually too dark in the corner of the room where the clock rested to be able to see it very clearly (Eyesight withered with age- the unfortunate effect of growing older) and so he had learn to rely on the chimes to tell the time. When there were no chimes, his sense of time and it’s passing were rather dulled.

What gave him a sense of time again was when his babe began to stir on his chest, slowly opening his bleary eyes to be greeted by Bāpa’s smiling face. That meant it was close to seven in the morning. His little prince usually awoke around then.  
  
“Good morning, Priye.” He said softly, giving him a kiss.

“Mmmm…” Came the sleepy hum.  
  
“Why don’t you have your morning milk and then we’ll get up, hmmm?”  
  
He supposed he hadn’t needed to say more than that, as his little one began suckling to have his morning feed. The oxytocin rush from that served to wake Agni just a bit more, heightening his senses and allowing him to enjoy their bonding time together. It wasn’t until he heard sniffling that he looked down to see his little one crying.

Immediately, Agni reacted, rubbing his little one’s back and hushing him. “Shhhhh. It’s alright, my little prince. There is no reason to cry.”  
  
“Bāpa.” Came the whimper as he nursed.  
  
“Bāpa is here. It’s alright, priye. All is fine. I promise you."  
  
He watched, feeling his heart break as his little one sobbed. “S-Sorry!” He cried.  
  
“Whatever are you sorry for, little one?” He asked gently.  
  
“Spill t-tea, Wasn’… Couldn’ stay big.” He sobbed.  
  
“Oh little one, It doesn’t matter. It really is alright. I promise you. Bāpa would never lie to you about something so important.”  
  
The words seemed to soothe his little one enough that his sobbing decreased, Though occasional sniffles could still be heard.

After switching to the other side and nursing a while longer, his little one finally unlatched. Agni, unfazed, sat up, and pulled his babe into his lap for a snuggle before his change. He clearly needed it.  
  
“It is alright, little one. Ciel and Sebastian know, but they are still our friends, and they took it extremely well.” Agni promised. “They are not angry. Merely trying to understand.”  
  
“Not mad?” He asked, peering up at his Bāpa questioningly.  
  
“No, little one. I promise they aren’t mad or angry. Not even a little.”  
  
A thumb snuck it’s way into his mouth as he contemplated that. Agni decided it would be best to change him now, lest there be a lot of whining later.  
  
Soma remained still for his change, mulling over Bāpa’s words. Bāpa wouldn’t lie to him. Still, he couldn’t help but feel like Bāpa was trying to make things seem better than they were. Bāpa had done that once before, to try and keep him from getting hurt. He hoped Bāpa wasn’t doing that now. He needed Bāpa to be honest. But Bāpa had looked at him in a way that made him think he was being honest. He hoped it was true.  
  
He thought of Ciel, of Sebastian. Sebastian he didn’t care about so much. The black butler was scary and a lot to think about. He wasn’t worried about losing his friendship with him since one wasn’t even there at all. But Ciel was different. Ciel was his first friend in England. Ciel had taught him about being selfless and supportive. Ciel had taught him what friendship meant. How could he bear losing that? If it came down to losing that or Losing Bāpa, of course he would pick Bāpa if he had to, but he didn’t want to lose anything. That was what had frightened him so much in the first place. Losing somebody else was something that scared him more than any words that could pass from the black butler’s lips.

The only question left now is if things would ever be the same. The likely answer to that was no. He just hoped they were different in a good way instead of a bad one. It would be too devastating to lose two more people in his life. And yet oddly, he wasn’t as scared as he would have been had this happened a few years ago. As he’d grown in exploring England, in exploring this part of himself, the reassurance that Bāpa’s Na-Na’s were always there helped him to feel more secure. It was a frightening world, full of uncertainties, balances of power, and the unknown around every corner, but Bāpa’s Na-Na’s were always there to comfort him and keep him calm in the face of every danger. He could only hope that he didn’t have reason to be afraid this time as Bāpa had told him.

After his change was done, Bāpa helped him dress. There wasn’t much of a point in putting on a show for them now, so instead he dressed in some red pants, a yellow shirt, and a red vest- Unassuming enough to be clothes for himself and yet still Childish enough to allow his smaller headspace some comfort and relief.  
  
He looked up to Bāpa, feeling nerves trying to make him curl up and go back to bed. He squeezed Bāpa’s hand, trying to feel brave. He looked up to Bāpa, who looked down at him and gave his hand a squeeze in turn. He got his brave from Bāpa. But he still felt scared too. Was there a word for being both? Scared and Brave? Scave? Scave. That’s how he was. He was scave.

Bāpa stroked his hair in a gentle gesture, and then it wasn’t so scary. He felt scave because he felt like he was doing it alone. But Bāpa was coming with him, and he wouldn’t be alone again. He still felt more scared than brave, but at least he knew he wouldn’t be going into the fray by himself. Feeling as though he was about to walk off the edge of a cliff, he opened his bedroom door and stepped out.  
  
The hall was empty, and yet it looked so ominous. Blackness fading into brightness that somehow did not serve to comfort him. Still, he propelled himself forward, out of the shadows and into the light. It was uncomfortable for so many reasons, but the feeling that he was about to be exposed was the biggest one. It electrified every nerve in his body until he stood at attention, hyper vigilant for any threat.  
  
When he rounded the corner into the dining room, he saw Ciel being served tea on a saucer. The earl took a sip of the steaming liquid before he noticed the master-butler pair entering the room. There was a tense moment, no more than a second, before it was eased.  
  
“Prince Soma. Agni.” He nodded to them. “Sebastian has prepared breakfast this morning.”  
  
Agni, far more relaxed than his little one, gave a grateful smile to Sebastian. “Thank you. You did not have to do that, I would have been more than happy to prepare a meal for you all.”  
  
“Please, you needn’t needlessly trouble yourself over it.” Sebastian said, smiling.  
  
Agni smiled, before taking a seat, and urging his little one to do the same with the wave of a hand.  
  
For a few moments, the only sounds were the din of silverware clanging on plates, before Ciel spoke.  
  
“Prince Soma?”  
  
The Indian prince almost looked startled at the sound of his name but turned to Ciel, feeling his nerves jump upon him.  
  
“Y-Yes Ciel?”  
  
“I’ve a question for you. I suppose I’m curious of something.”  
  
“What?” He asked, curious.  
  
“What do you feel you gain from reliving childhood? I suppose I don’t understand the need, considering I’ve done all I can to prove myself as an adult to gain respect in the community. It’s not my cup of tea, certainly, but it does not bother me either. I am simply curious as to what you feel it gives you.”

For a moment, the relief of Ciel’s response overshadowed the Prince’s ability to think. Then, he looked up for a few seconds, apparently in deep thought.  
  
“When I came to England I was searching for a piece of my past. Mina was… She was very important to me. The only source of love I knew. Later, when I found out that that was untrue, I still had Agni, and yet I found myself in a strange country, with one friend, and nothing familiar around me. So much was different and yet nothing seemed to stay the same. There was not much to depend on. Agni was the only person who was constant. It felt natural to cling to him, because he would never leave, never change. When you are searching for who you are, the answer that seems logical is to start over. A fresh start, where your past does not interfere with your decisions. If it weren’t for you, Ciel, I would not have questioned who I was in the first place. If it weren’t for you, I would not have known what love looked like. But now, because I met you, I know. And I thank you for it.” Soma said, softly.

Ciel couldn’t help showing the surprise that crossed his face. There was a certain dichotomy that existed now, his brain realized. While the Prince’s behavior had grown younger, his self-awareness of his own needs, wants, desires, and those of others had matured. It was, he had to admit, impressive.  
  
“I must admit, I do not know the feeling.” He confessed. “I cannot remember a time when I have not left my homeland. If I had, I can imagine feeling the same loss of control you had, Though I likely wouldhave handled it differently. To each his own, I suppose.”

Soma felt the weight of the world lift from his shoulders, and gave a glowing smile. “Indeed.”  
  
Afterward breakfast flowed smoothly. Sebastian was attentive and courteous to all, even the Prince himself. Perhaps a small display of respect for how he’d grown emotionally- though no one would ever know for certain. What happened after breakfast was Prince Soma nursing, and a debate within Ciel on whether he still wished to go out that day. On the one hand, Prince Soma could still walk him through the quarter. On the other, the risk of him losing himself again as he had the evening before was incredibly high. While he didn’t understand any of what the young prince was feeling, he did understand the feelings of having your safety violated, and the damage it inflicted on one’s psyche. He was acutely aware- perhaps for the first time, that coming here had felt like a violation of safety to the young prince. While he had no empathy for him personally, he understood the damage it caused, and did not want to inflict it on innocents who did not earn his ire.  
  
Ultimately, he decided to send Sebastian in his place. Whether he liked it or not, Guilt and Pity had wrapped their way around his heart and squeezed it tight like a boa constrictor, refusing to let go or let up. It was the only kind of apology he knew how to make for what he had done, by not leaving for business right away. Night would fall soon enough, and then he and Sebastian could go then. For the rest of the daylight hours, he decided to stay at the townhouse, as a watcher and silent observer, trying to learn more and understand another perspective.

Watching Soma and Agni ended up being a surprisingly educational experience. The way they communicated without the use of language, just simple gestures, made him realize that he could implement the same ideas among his own household. The servants could certainly stand to learn the language of silence. Stealth and silence were two languages they did not know, and yet desperately needed to learn. He also realized, alongside that, that words were not necessary to get a job done. Sometimes a simple move of the head from Agni could have Soma cleaning up toys left on the floor in an instant. It made him realize that connection meant far more than communication for many people. He realized that perhaps if he did the same for his servants, they might be far more efficient at their duties.  
  
That was not to say the experience was not painful. In some ways, it was excruciating. There were a dozen little things that triggered a memory in him. Agni kissing a scraped knee, Soma running into his arms for a hug, Agni watching proudly as he played on the carpet. So many of these things reminded him of his own parents. Much as he said he did not want time to close his wounds- which was still true- he did wish there was some sort of numbing agent that could alleviate the pain for a time. And yet, his own pain watching those things gave him an odd sort of insight into why this appealed to the young prince so much. He imagined this being what Prince Soma must have felt every time he watched some child run to their parents in his homeland. A distinct sting of disappointment, and a hollow sorrow in his chest afterward.

For the first time, Ciel found himself learning a different perspective. He’d been trodding down the path of revenge for so many years, that it had limited his ability to walk a mile in another person’s shoes. But now, because of a shared pain that he and the prince both had, his clamshell of emotions was beginning to be cracked open, leaving ways for empathy to creep in. There were times when he could feel what Soma must have felt, because of his own memories. Some still when he even found himself feeling saddened because something seemingly small had caused the boy clear distressed. But through it all, Agni had been there, quick to wipe tears away and kiss scrapes better. For a few moments, he’d felt a lump in his throat at the sight, remembering his father doing the same thing for him. And yet, as the lump faded, so did his guilt over (admittedly) feeling the jealousy he had last night (not that he would ever let Sebastian know that he was right, of course.).

Agni served them both lunch, and Ciel watched with what he could only classify as fascination as he watched Agni feed his master. The two of them were so joyful, and though joy usually sickened him (It was usually so overly campy and ridiculously overdone that it made him want to vomit) their joy was not the same. It was an easy, comfortable kind of happiness. The only way he could describe it would be feeling the sun beating on himself on a hot day versus feeling the first rays of warm spring sunshine after a cold winter. It seemed so natural and so genuine that it was beginning to lodge an important lesson into his mind: Family was made up of whom you chose, not determined by the one you were born into.

Afterward, Ciel was put in a rather interesting position. As he sat on one of the couches in the drawing room, a book opened in his lap, just to read something, Prince Soma slid something onto the couch. Ciel, a bit surprised, took a look. Bitter rabbit, one of Funtom’s bestselling toys, sat beside him. There was a moment of disconnect that happened in his mind- Why would he do that?- before Prince Soma slowly held up a gray elephant, matched with pleading eyes.  
  
Surprisingly- and he truly was surprised because he had so little experience with nonverbal communication with people who were not Sebastian- he understood what the prince wanted. Someone to play with him. This sparked a bit of a debate in him. On the one hand, he’d worked all his life to achieve respectability as an adult. On the other, how could he- as the head of the Funtom company and as someone who was, in biological years, thirteen years old- deny someone who obviously loved his products so much a chance to play? Even more so, how could he refuse a way to repay a debt owed him that could be done so very simply?  
  
And so, for the next hour, as Agni cooked dinner for them, Ciel played for the first time in at least three years. It was the first time in as many years he’d done something so… Childish. And yet, he would be lying if he said he did not enjoy it- not because it was fun to play anything that wasn’t a game, but because seeing the smile on the young prince’s face reminded him of why he made toy products in the first place, and gave him the fond memory of his father telling him the story of why they chose toy making as a cover for their activities with the underworld- not just to deflect suspicion, but to bring more smiles into the world so that hopefully one day their service in that area to her majesty would no longer be required.

When Sebastian came back from following his master’s orders, he was surprised to enter the drawing room, and seeing his master help the young prince build a block tower. As the day had worn on, the Indian Teen’s motor skills had grown sloppy. When he could not build a block tower higher than five blocks without it coming down and had been obviously distressed about the matter- Sad sounding whimpers and all- Ciel had surprised himself by stepping up to help. Sebastian too found surprise cross his expression as Ciel put the last block atop a tower that was at least eighteen blocks high, and watched the Young Prince clap jovially at the sight and saw- on his former grave- a ghost of a smile hinting at his young master’s face.

When Ciel had realized Sebastian was there, his eyes had darkened, with a questioning look inside of them. Sebastian had known what it had meant. _Did you find a way in for later?_ Sebastian’s gaze right back at him gave the answer he so desired. _Yes, My Lord._ Ciel nodded his head, before he realized that Soma was looking up at him almost in admiration. He recognized that gaze. It was the one he’d used to give his Twin brother so very long ago. When his twin accomplished something fantastic and he’d wanted to be just like him, especially as very young children. He’d never thought he’d see the day when the roles were reversed on him, and yet the feeling was not an uncomfortable one.  
  
When dinner came around, it was filled with cheery giggles. The sound was so odd considering Ciel was so used to rooms full of loud silences. And yet, he also found he didn’t mind it. Not even a little bit. Soma’s joy and curiosity were so genuine it was relatively easy to forget he was seventeen and not a toddler. And not even he would be so heartless as to be annoyed at a small child- especially when said small child got food all over Agni _and_ Sebastian’s uniforms, giving him a good laugh.

After dinner, however, was when he and Sebastian had business to attend to, and was, unfortunately, the end of his day of rest. Ciel felt a small bit of regret at leaving what seemed to be so quickly, though he knew he could return at anytime considering he lived there. When he’d announced their departure for the rest of the evening, Agni had been holding Soma in his arms, and had taken him toward Ciel to say goodbye. The little prince had reached up and clumsily patted his cheek in lieu of thanks and well wishes for the night, and Ciel had found himself rewarding that with a rare smile.

As they’d exited for the night, Sebastian looked at his young master with a smirk. “You seemed to be enjoying yourself today, My Lord.”  
  
“I paid off a debt and got reminded of why my company produces toys for a living rather than something stupid like bacon grease. Wouldn’t you be happy at that?”  
  
“Perhaps.” He speculated. “Though I daresay I saw you smile far more times than I have in the last six months combined.”  
  
“One does not have to like small children in order to show them kindness, Sebastian.”  
  
“Ah, projecting your ideal world onto the Prince. How wistful of you.”  
  
“What was that?” Ciel asked, looking at his butler.  
  
“I said that the world could stand to learn much from how you treated Prince Soma today. How noble of you.” Sebastian said, voice smooth as silk.  
  
Ciel rolled his eyes. “Shut up, you.” He said, as the two of them trudged into the night.  
  
As Ciel and Sebastian exited the house, Agni went to his little prince’s nursery, and sat in the rocking chair with him for his after dinner feeding. On the walk to the door, he’d found himself thanking Kali that Ciel and Sebastian had been so gracious to both of them. Now, during the feeding itself, he found himself thinking of the amazing properties his milk had. It kept his little one’s immunity up, reduced his risk of disease, released antibodies to help his babe fight infection, and lowered his risk of common illnesses. It was, by any definition, a great healer, just as time itself was for many wounds.  
  
Now, as he stared into the face of his little one, who was gazing up at him with such happy and loving eyes, he couldn’t help thinking about time.  
  
The one enemy to all parents, however old or young, was time. Too much of it, too little of it, and the inability to stop it. So many times, they wish they could rewind it, or freeze a moment of it and live in it forever, or even fast forward it when their child was going through a difficult stage. But the passage of time was a source of fear for every parent, because although they knew change in time was inevitable, the knowledge of it’s passing, of their children growing up and not needing them anymore, was a source of constant anxiety and pressure. The need to make every moment perfect, to remember every little thing because they knew someday all they would have would be their memories, was so pressing that many times they felt as though they might break.

And yet, on very rare occasions, time would give them a small gift. A moment that seemed to last for far longer than normal. A point when time seems to slow it’s workings or stop entirely. Usually it deigned to do that in life-changing moments. But here and now, time gave them a gift. As Agni looked down into the eyes of his little one, and his little one reached up to pat his cheek, he realized that perhaps the best gift of all was the ability to have times like these with his Priye, where they could simply be together and enjoy one another.  
  
And so, as his babe enjoyed a feeding, Agni found himself gently kicking off in the rocking chair they sat in together, and doing the most he could to enjoy the gift of a little more time.

**Author's Note:**

> That's all for now folks! Thanks for reading and giving this fic a shot! I hope you all liked it! Kudos and comments are welcome at your own discretion, as always. And, of course, let me know if you want a series! You never know what could happen!


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